Darin BrownAnother review of “Dogmatism in Science and Medicine”
Posted by Henry Bauer on 2012/10/16
I was gratified at this review in Social Epistemology Review and Reply Collective [1 (10, 2012): 10-11] by Ron Westrum, a well known expert in social psychology and sociology of science. A couple of quotes:
“This is a most worthwhile book. . . well-researched . . . Bauer shows the dangers that powerful groups in mainstream science pose to open inquiry and an open society. . .
That science might have knowledge monopolies may come as a surprise. . . One of the great virtues of the book is good case-studies, telling examples of scientific misbehavior by elite practitioners. . . One of the best case-studies in the book is Chapter 3, “A case of public censorship: Elsevier and Medical Hypotheses.” . . . Overall, I find Bauer’s arguments convincing and his examples disturbing.”
I was especially pleased that he singled out Chapter 3, about the extraordinary capitulation of Elsevier to the HIV/AIDS vigilantes.
HIV/AIDS Skepticism 
Gary said
I recently read an article in the Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) that mentioned rapid testing for HIV. Do you know how effective it is?
Henry Bauer said
Gary:
The SMH — which I read daily for a couple of decades — is (or was then) a fine newspaper. But it’s no more reliable on matters of HIV than the popular media in general. My recent book, Dogmatism in Science and Medicine, of which I’ve mentioned reviews in two recent blog posts, describes how supposedly scientific knowledge makes its way into popular media: lots of pitfalls along the way.
The fact is that no HIV tests are capable of detecting infection by a retrovirus: search my blog for the numerous documented pieces about HIV tests, in particular about the authoritative mainstream chapter by Weiss & Cowan. The rapid tests are even worse than the non-rapid ones. They are very effective only in misleading people, causing great distress and possibly damaging “treatment”.
drnyashamboti said
An interesting review of the book, Bad Medicine: Doctors Doing Harm Since Hippocrates is on http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20121027213657-38251380-book-review-bad-medicine
Henry Bauer said
drnyashamboti:
Many thanks indeed, makes the book a must read, wish I had known about it earlier!
scientist said
Dr. Bauer,
Are you aware of this news article “http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/28/us-science-cancer-idUSBRE82R12P20120328”. The basic claim was “In cancer science, many “discoveries” don’t hold up”. So I am sure HIV research is not an exception.
My second question is – Why dont you start you own journal on HIv research. It can be as simple as starting a blog and allow people to publish their finding. (similar to http://www.webmedcentral.com/).
Third question is – why dont you find a contract research organization and ask them to do some experimental work for you. Then publish their findings. I think this can be done.
Henry Bauer said
scientist:
Thank you, I had not come across that article. The dysfunction goes well beyond cancer, though, it applies to a wide range of prescription drugs brought into use in the last couple of decades, including drugs administered for so-called mental illness. A bibliography of works about this is at http://henryhbauer.homestead.com/What_sWrongWithMedicine.pdf.
Age and lack of resources make your suggestions impractical, I’m afraid. I’ve edited journals and written newsletters in the past, and it’s a very time-consuming business. Hiring a CRO is far beyond my means.
Scientist said
Interestingly this blog does talk about “The project, PsychFileDrawer, dedicated to replication of published articles in experimental psychology, shows a replication rate 3 out of 9 (33%) so far.” – http://blog.jove.com/2012/05/03/studies-show-only-10-of-published-science-articles-are-reproducible-what-is-happening
Lets assume someone does have the ability to use a CRO – can you point me to experimental protocols that have the ability to prove/disprove hiv tests.
Henry Bauer said
Scientist:
The problem is that so-called HIV tests have never been validated with an authentic sample of pure isolated HIV. How to do experiments on something that is not available in pure form?
Scientist said
Dr. Bauer,
What do you think about this HIV-1 isolation protocol
Click to access SP_Iso_HIV1.pdf
and then there is also this report last week about how the scientists at CHOP “cured” a child from leukemia. They genetically modified the HIV to do that it seems (at lease from the news reports). That’s no easy task without a pure virus sample.
http://www.chop.edu/service/oncology/pediatric-cancer-research/t-cell-therapy.html
Henry Bauer said
Scientist:
There are innumerable so-called isolates of HIV. That protocol involves a number of steps, but like all others fails at the initial one, namely, to demonstrate that it starts with a pure sample of HIV virions derived not from a culture but from an HIV+ human being: virions demonstrably present in that human being, not grown in a culture of serum from a person incubated with various substances.
The same applies to the leukemia cure. As you say, it’s no mean feat to modify something that has not been shown to be present.